Home Nations Belfast

Hopefully Ronnie starts praising Allen at the interval... It's been 70% "John this... John that" etc... 😊 Whatever Ron says, the rest mainly take their 'cue' from him... GWAN MARKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!

Can't stand these camera angles! Thought Higgins had missed that yellow 😒

eric hoone

Higgins getting the upper hand now

Strumms

quite a number of dickheads in the crowd unfortunately.

great game, it’s a pity certain crowd members cant shut the fûck up though, zero awareness of how much a crucial period of the frame, match and tournament this is ffs.

Arthur Daley

Yeah but they're not close to shouting on the shot. Doubt the players are that annoyed by it.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118033863#Comment_118033863

They are not what ? Haha...just as you posted...shouting on the shot.

showing appreciation after a good shot or encouraging players after a miss, grand, but players down on a shot like there or even just contemplating their next shot is dickheadish.

waynescales1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118033883#Comment_118033883

Either yer man is a complete idiot, absolutely pissed or deliberately trying to put Allen off.

waynescales1

Great final, thought Allen was beaten at 8-6. Idiots aside it sounds like a great atmosphere. Marteel gonna struggle to keep order for the decider.

Strumms

Higgins getting some bad luck coupled with carelessness...positionally a bit careless and keeps jamming himself against the cushion.

Arthur Daley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118033883#Comment_118033883

The exception to prove the rule. Nobody agrees with that.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118033917#Comment_118033917

Happening several times so no exception.

Higgins looking nervous not getting position on many pots but safety play is reliably good.

Cracking last few frames for excitement and drama! Will remember the final of the 2021 NI Open for a lot longer than those of bigger comps!

Ref done very well and didn't let things get much out of hand, and Olivier Marteel got a few of the hooligans ejected late on.. Proper order..

Thought Mark Allen showed plenty of composure when playing safe (instead of going for risky pots) after some good long reds, but landing too far into baulk for a proper go at a colour... Of the two, it were John what pushed the boat out most going for the win...A lot of great safety too by both, as well as a lot of scrappiness overall, with smatterings of quality, and Higgins (while he was probably the best player overall in the evening session) just really played a few poor positional shots too many. 3 or 4 years ago, Allen would have lost that 9-7 or 9-6 I'd say..

Nonetheless, WD MARK ALLEN! Thoroughly deserved on the basis of him being the best player early on, and hanging on and toughing it out at the end... Recorded the last frame - looking forward to watching it again tomorrow (today now)... 😊

Genghis

Great climax to the tournament, and very happy to see Mark Allen prevail in the end. I couldn't watch it all live, but I avoided the news and stayed glued to it into the early hours. Great end to the tournament, drama, tension and relief.

Has had a lot of personal issues to deal with in the last year, which made the scenes even more heart warming.

I wonder has he had any additional coaching? He seemed very zen all tournament, a really good temperment that served him well against Trump and Higgins in particular. He has the potential for sure to rank higher and even be world champ. I wonder will it give him that last bit of self belief to push on now for more wins? Would be good for both NI and Irish snooker.

zuutroy

Had a good day up there yesterday. Spent a bit of time chatting with Phil Seymour on the way in...Very nice bloke and made sure to have a chat with my young lad and take a picture of him with the trophy inside. Young lad also got to have a go in Cue Zone, with Ronnie watching him from the Eurosport stage so he was delighted. Pretty good seats too...he was caught applauding frame ball furiously on camera and Phil Studd was chuckling at him in commentary!